Overlay-cutting machine



Dec. 21,1926. 1,611,864

S. A. M FARLAND OVERLAY CUTTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 15, 1924 3Sheets-Shae 1 Dec. 21, 1926. 1,611,864

- v S. A. MCFARLAND OVERLAY CUTTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 15, 1924 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 21, 1926. 1,611,864

s. A. MCFARLAND OVERLAY CUTTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 15, 1924 sSheets-Shget 5 Fate-rated Dec. 21, 1926.

ldill itfie PATENT orrics.

SAMUEL ANDREW MGFARLAND, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

OVERLAY-CUTTING IMACHINE.

Application filed November 15, 1924. Serial No. 750,185.

My invention relates to an overlay cutting machine, especially adaptedto operate on, cut or slice off the raised portions ap pearing on thecoated side of an overlay sheet, the main object of the invention beingto provide a machine of this character which will be efficient inoperation, and which will greatly reduce the expense, time and laborordinarily involved in making ready printing forms.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of partshereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood. by reference to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Fig. 1 is an end elevational view of a machine made in accordance withthe present invention, a portion of the base being shown as broken away;

Fig. 2 shows a front elevational view of the machine with a portion ofthe base broken away;

Fig. 3 shows a cross sectional view, taken substantially on the line 33of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view of a portion of the machine as it appears from therear, this view illustrating in particular the bands for holding theoverlay sheet in position during its downward movement on the cylinder;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5; and

7 is an enlarged view of a fragment of the coated overlay sheet, showingespecially the raised impressions which appear on the coated side of thesheet.

In making ready printing forms, considerable skill and experience areessential and much time is consumed. No form or engraving is soperfectly true and level that when inked in it will show a clear andperfeet impression. Accordingly, the form must be increased. here andreduced there until part of it will show its true value clearldistinctly and sharply. If the makaready is inadequate, there is a lackclearness and the effect is indistinct. In order to obtain adequatemake-ready, it is a common practice to build .up'the low spots by addingslips of paper. My present machine is employed in connection with theconverse of this method. Instead of compensating for inequalities in theforms by adding slips of paper to the low spots I tear down or slice offthe high spots or impressions which appear on the coated sides of coatedoverlay sheets. The present machine therefore has for its primarypurpose the provision of means whereby quickly and accurately to cut orslice off the high points or raised portions appearing on the coatedsides of overlay sheets.

The preferred form of my machine as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings comprises an elongated hollow base 8, upon the opposite ends ofwhich are bolted inverted V-shaped end frames 9 in the top portions ofwhich is rotatably mounted a main driving shaft 10 having mountedthereon between the end members 9 a cylinder 11 formed with raised endsor flanges 12. This cylinder 11 is ground accurately so that allportions of its circumference will be of uniform distance from itscentral axis. Adjacent the end frames 9 at the inner sides thereof aresolid end frames 13 which are pierced by the main driving shaft 10. Forthe purpose of operating on the coated overlay sheets when they areapplied to the cylinder 11 I provide for adjustment towards and awayfrom the circumference of the cylinder the cutting tools 14:, of whichthere are three illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each of thesecutting tools 1 L has a central axis 15, the opposite ends of which arerotatably mounted in journal boxes 16 which slide upon ribs or keys 17provided in the solid end members 13, the arrangement of these partsbeing such that the cutting tools may be moved towards or drawn awayfrom the surface of the cylinder accordingly as the journal boxes aremoved. For the purpose of adjusting the cutting tools relatively to thecylinder there is attached to the forward side of each journal box aplate 18 behind which a disc member 19 has turning fit. Each disc member19 represents the end of an adjusting screw 20, the forward portion ofwhich has threaded engagement in a supporting member 21 which is securedby screws 22 or otherwise to the front face. of the end member to whichit belongs. Each adjusting screw is furnished with a knurled turningdisc 23 whereby to be adjusted by hand; and adapted to engage upon aplain portion 2%, formed 25 which is tapped through a reduced portion 26on the supporting member 21, the

Vpurpose of the locking screw being to lock the adjusting screw in itsadjusted position. Each of the cutting tools 14 is provided with aplurality of spirally extending cutting knives 27. In the presentembodiment these cutting knives are shown as produced integrally withthe cutting tools, although they may if desired be made as separateparts. Preferably, these cutting knives do not extend in the same spiraldirection on the several cutting tools. Thus in Fig. 2 of theaccompanying drawings it will be observed that the spirally coursingknives on the middle cutting tool extend in a direction opposite to thespiral courses of the knives on the top and bottom cutting tools.

By making the cutting tools with spirally extending cutting knives,these instruments have in operation a slicing action, since they have,angular relation with respect to the central axis of the cylinder. iswill be presently seen these cutting tools are all driven in tl e samedirection but in a direction opposite to the rotation of the cylinder.By making the spirally extending knives on one cutting tool so that theycourse in a direction opposite to the spiral course of the knives on theother cutting tools, the high points on the overlay sheets are severedor sliced cleanly and positively by being attached in oppositedirections. From what has been said, it will be understood that each ofthe cutting tools is adjustable indepently of the others. so that theymay all be given an equal adjustment with respect to the cylinder, or sothat, if desired each may be adjusted dilierently'with respect to thecylinder.

The main driving; shaitt at one and extends beyond the supporting end 9where it is equipped with a driving. pulley 28 adapted to receive anysuitable driving; helt (not shown). This driving; pulley is alsoprovided with a handle 29 so that the machine may be operated yhand. Atthe end of the machine opposite the driving;- pulley, the driving shaftis provided with a large driving gear 30 which is in mesh with thesmaller intermediate gears 31 of which there is of course one for eachcutting tool. Each of these intermediate gears is mounted upon a studpost or shaft 32 which projects from the end frame 13. Each of theintermediate gears 31 operates a still smaller gear 33 which is fastenedon the end of the cutting tool axis 15. in view of this gearingarrangemen't, it will be understood that when the cylinder is rotatedslowly the cutting tools will be rotated rapidly ano in a directionopposite to the rotation of thecylinder.

The cylinder 11 is provided across its peripheral face with a recess 34;through which extends a rock shaft 35, the ends of which are operativelymounted in the flanges 12 of the cylinder. Mounted in spaced relationupon this rock shaft is a series of grippers 36 which are normallyengaged with the surface of the cylinder within the recess 3 L by meansof spring members 37 whlch are coiled about the rock shaft and whichhave their extremities engaging the cylinder as clearly illustrated inFigs. 2 and 3. At one end the rock shaft is provided with a crank 38which carries a roller 39. Upon a projection 40 which extends upwardlyfrom the end 13 is a cam element ll of arcuate form as shown in 1. Thisends 4-2.

cam element has inwardly bevelled lhis cam element is supported in thepath of the crank supported roller 39, so that under the rotation of thecylinder the grippers will he raised because of the engagement of theroller with the cam element on which it turns, and also so that on therollers disengagement from the cam element the springs 37 will againactuate the rock shaft and reengage the fingers with the cylinder. 43denotes an overlay sheet which has a plain side A and a coated side 4-5.When an impression as 46 is made on the plain side of this overlay sheetit will produce a raised portion as l? more or less pronounced accordingto the severity of the impression, on the coated side so of the sheet.The overlay sheet is applied to the cylinder with its coated sideoutwaro and it is attached to the cylinder by engaging; an end thereofunder the grippers The overlay sheet thus held by the grippers moves andtravels with the cylinder, and in order to prevent the overlay sheetfrom falling away from the cylinder during the downward turn there isprovided a series of spaced-apart bands 4-? which are mounted upon a rod+18 which secured in the end members 13. In ad 'ance of each oi thecutting tools is a brush 48 which is adjust ably supported in the frameends 13. ihese )rushcs press on the overla sheet and force out all airthereunder making it hug; the cylinder tightly so that the cuttingknives will cutoff only the portions of the raised impressions t? thatare raised higher (by too heavy an impression) than the ordinarythickness of the overlay sheet. By means of a, proper adjustment or" thecutting too therefore, form may be compensated higher spots and raise l.

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the inequalities of the n'inting-f g ton portions coated side of theoverlay sheet 11 i or sliced oli? positively and accurate; .rhcn thecoated overlay sheet has thus been oprrated on. by my improved machine,it is read to be placedon the packing on the 1 i z 1 the form is: readyto print. Enthe event that assoverlay sneer does not compensate for ISOthe inequalities of the form, it will be observed that an additionaloverlay sheet or additional overlay sheets may be made in a manner thatwill be well understood by those familiar with the art.

The solid end frames 13 act as shields against the spreading of the dustresulting from the operation of the cutting tools on the overlay sheets.Additionally in order to prevent the spread of the dust resulting fromthe cutting operations, I mount within a channel or housing ll) withinthe hollow base a suction rotor 50 adapted to be driven by a motor 51and located so that it will in fluence the dust ground from the overlaysheets and draw the same into the hollow base.

l l hll-Q I have illustrated and descril; ed the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my i vention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. 1, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentis:

1. An overlay cutting machine including a cylinder having support forrotary movement and having peripheral surface for receiving an overlaysheet thereon; a rotary dressing wheel extending across the face of thecylinder for operating on the overlay sheet; and means within the bodyof the cylinder inwardly of the peripheral surface thereof for grippingone end of the overlay sheet to the cylinder, substantially asdescribed.

2. An overlay cutting machine including a cylinder having support forrotary movement and having a peripheral surface for receiving an overlaysheet thereon; a dressing wheel having support across the surface of thecylinder to operate on the overlay sheet; and means situated whollyinwardly of the surface of the cylinder for gripping the end of theoverlay sheet; substantially as described.

3. An overlay cutting machine including a cylinder having support forrotary movement and having a peripheral surface for receiving thereon anoverlay sheet to dressed; means for pressing the overlay sheet to thesurface of the cylinder as it turns therewith; a dressing wheelextending across the surface of the cylinder to operate on the overlaysheet: and means situated wholly inwardly of the surface of thecylin'der for gripping the end of the overlay sheet, substantially asdescribed.

a. An overlay cutting machine including a cylinder having support forrotary movement and having a ground peripheral surface for receivingthereon an overlay sheet to be dressed; a dressing wheel arranged to berotated and applied to the overlay sheet;

a gripping device for attaching the overlay sheet to the cylinder andarranged wholly within a recess extending inwardly of the cylinder fromsaid ground surf cc, and means for operating said gripping device,substantially as described.

5. Means for cutting off portions of impressions on a coated overlaysheet including, in combination, a support for the overlay sheet; adressing wheel; means for rotating and controlling the application ofthe dressing wheel to said impressions; and means situated inwardly ofthe surface of the support for attaching the overlay sheet to thesupport, substantially as described.

6. In an overlay cutting machine, the com bination with end supports, ofa cylinder supported for rotary movement between said supports andhaving a peripheral surface for receiving an overlay sheet thereon;means having adjustment in the ends of the supports extending across thecylinder for operating on the overlay sheet; a gripping device on thecylinder for attaching the overlay sheet thereto; and means on one ofsaid supports for contacting with and operating said gripping device,substantially as described.

7. In an overlay cutting machine, the combination with a cylinder havingsupport for rotary, movement and having a peripheral surface forreceiving an overlay sheet thereon, of means for securing the overlaysheet to the cylinder beneath the peripheral surface thereof andcomprising a recess extending inwardly from said peripheral surface toreceive a portion of the overlay sheet; and a spring urged rock shaftoperatively arranged within said recess and provided with fingers forgripping the portion of the overlay sheet entered in the recess,substantially as described.

8. In an overlay cutting machine, the combination with a rotary cylinderhaving a peripheral recess, a reel: shaft arranged in said recess,gripping fingers on said rock shaft adapted to secure an overlay sheeton the cylinder, means for causing the rocking of said roclr shaft, andmeans adjustable in relation to the cylinder for operating on theoverlay sheet carried by the cylinder, substantially as described.

9, In an overlay cutting machine, the con1- bination of a cylinderhaving a recess ex tending inwardly into its body from its peripheralsurface, of a shaft arranged in said recess for rocking movement; andmeans on said shaft adapted to bear on and secure the end of an overlaysheet in said recess, sub stantially as described.

10. In an overlay cutting machine, the l combination with a cylinderisu-pportedvfoi' rotary movement and having a periphei'a-l indentationfor receiving the end ofenoverlay sheet therein, of a rockable grippingdevice arranged in said indentation fOlYSeCul ing the end of an overlaysheet in place; an arm on the gripping device projecting from ,oneend ofthe cylinder; andmeans arranged to beengagecl by said arm by Which torock said gripping device, substantially as de- 1 scribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

SAMUEL ANDREW MGFARLAND.

